Did you know cavities are one of the most common chronic diseases in children in the United States? The good news is they are preventable. At Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, the pediatric dentistry department is leading the fight to stop children’s cavities before they begin.
The mouth can tell you a lot about the health of your body, which is extremely important when it comes to children—making early intervention a critical component of dentistry. Dental disease can be extremely painful and costly, if not treated, and may lead to other serious lifelong health problems.
The pediatric dentistry department, led by Professor and Chair Gerald Ferretti, focuses on providing patients from birth through 16 years of age with the most positive dental experience possible. Through its two-year postdoctoral Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program, students receive training to become qualified practitioners, consultants and advocates for complete dental treatment of children, including those with special needs.
“Children’s oral health is of critical importance, as proper diet and positive oral hygiene practices impact overall health,” said Ferretti. “With the COVID-19 pandemic, access to routine dental services may be limited, underscoring the necessity of the care pediatric dentists provide—both through in-person visits and encouragement of everyday measures children can practice at home.”
The Pediatric Dental Clinic is supported by faculty, residents and staff specifically trained in working with children and their families. In addition, the department partners with the following School of Dental Medicine programs:
- Headstart Outreach Program, providing services to children in our community who have not received dental care in the last six months;
- Healthy Smiles Sealant Program, offering high-quality oral health education, examinations, preventive services and referrals for children in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District; and
- Craniofacial Fellowship Program, providing fellows with advanced clinical, didactic and research training during a one-year program of study in the management of children with facial differences and special needs.
February is designated as the National Children’s Dental Health Month. Typically, this week would mark the dental school’s annual “Give Kids a Smile” event, during which dental students team up with local professional dentists to provide free oral care for hundreds of Cleveland children. Due to health and safety concerns surrounding COVID-19, this year’s event has been canceled.
In Ohio, “Give Kids a Smile” began in 2003 as a national American Dental Association project to provide access to dental care for underserved children. Case Western Reserve has hosted the program since its inception.